People: Oct. 30, 2000

JOHN MELLENCAMP had an idea for a musical. The story revolved around two competitive brothers who get a glimpse into their family's macabre past. With a few phone calls, he lined up someone to write the book: STEPHEN KING. "He's a reclusive kinda nut, and I am too," says Mellencamp from his Florida recording studio. "So we've found some sort of brotherhood in that. He's got the story written, and I've got half a dozen songs written, so we're on our way." The untitled project won't open on Broadway, but Mellencamp hopes that's where it...